Thomas Tuchel recalled Aston Villa loanee Marcus Rashford to the England squad this month but the forward wasn't at his best
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Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford(Image: Offside via Getty Images)
Thomas Tuchel, the new England manager, admitted that Aston Villa loanee Marcus Rashford and Manchester City star Phil Foden didn't produce their club form as the Three Lions saw off Albania in their World Cup qualifier on Friday night.
England prevailed thanks to goals from debutant Myles Lewis-Skelly and captain Harry Kane, on a night where Villa trio Rashford, Ezri Konsa and Morgan Rogers all got minutes. For Rashford, it was his first England appearance in a year and a reward for recent form in a Villa shirt.
That form didn't necessarily transfer onto the international stage, however, and Tuchel - who has succeeded Gareth Southgate in the hotseat and has been tasked with building a side which can challenge for next year's World Cup - was happy to admit as much after the game.
The German was left puzzled by why Rashford and Foden didn't produce their best, what he expected, and also conceded that their teammates were too slow in getting the ball out wide in the build up of their attacks.
"Both of our wingers were not as impactful as normally they can be, as they normally are in club football," Tuchel said. "I'm not sure why we struggled to bring the ball quicker to them, not sure why it took us so long. We lacked a bit of runs off the ball, and not enough passing and dribbling.
"Not enough driving with the ball. Not aggressive enough towards the goal. They were decisive in training, that's why we picked them."
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